Needled cover for pressing platen



May 22, 1956 w, SCHMITZ 2,746,182

NEEDLED COVER FOR PRESSING PLATEN Filed May 27, 1952 55555 llVVf/V/Ol? WERNER SCI-IMI T Z LQTMLMM lfiTORHEIYS United States Patent O 2,746,182 NEEDLED COVER FOR PRESSING PLATEN Werner Schmitz, Wulfrath, Germany, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Peter Wolters, Ofiene Handelsgesellschaft, Mettmann, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application May 27, 1952, Serial No. 290,281 Claims priority, application Germany October 19, 1951 3 Claims. (Cl. 3866) invention relates to ironing machines, and parti'cularly to ironing machines for fabrics having a pile, such as velvet, sateen, 'camels hair fabrics and other types of tufted weaves or pile fabrics.

In particular, this invention relates to the formation of the pads er covers for an ironing machine, or the formation 'of a needle sheet cover for manual ironing adapted to provide for improved results in connection with the fabrics identified above. 7 v

In the usual type of ironing machine the ironing pads or covers of either the upper or lower platens, or both, comprise a comb like arrangement usually consisting of cloth layers out of which protrude teeth which may be in the form of stiff wires. The ordinary ironing pad of this nature, however, has a number of deficiencies.

For example, in the use of such ironing pads, when made 'of ordinary cloth, there is a strong tendency for the pads to shrink or become warped and undulating in cross section. Further, such pads or covers'are not possessed of the roper degree of penetrability for passing steam.

In the type of ironing machine which comprises a tiltable or swing'able upper platen, a sheet metal edging or frame is employed into which holes are drilled and into which h'oles tension springs are fastened for securin the ironing pads to the upper platen. This arrangement exhibits the disadvantage that the pads do not adapt themselves in configuration to the upper platen which is concave but, owing to their own weight, will sink or sag through the center.

With the usual type of pad or cover of this nature on the upper lates, the teeth referred to tend to be pushed upwardl and be pressed backwardly out of the cloth or fabric backing. This is particularly noted when the pad comprises gluing which has become loosened as a consequence of the hot steam being passed through the pad. Inasmuch as this sort of pad is relatively dense on account of the gluing enough steam will not pass through to do a proper ironing job.

Whenever the back gluing or gumming is carried out with rubber cement or adhesives of that nature, they tend to become loose after a period of use due to the action of the steam so that an entirely unsatisfactory result is bad.

It has been attempted to fasten the ironing pad in concave form firmly to the face of the upper platen of such a machine in order to prevent the teeth of the pad from being pressed backwardly therein. This attempt, however, has not resulted in any satisfactory arrangement.

Having the foregoing in mind, the principal object of the present invention is the provision of a greatly improved needle sheet cover for the ironing of pile fabrics of the nature referred to.

Another object is the provision of an ironing 'cover comprising a plurality of teeth projecting therefrom in which the teeth will not be pressed backwardly in use.

A particular object is the provision of an ironing cover having teeth mounted therein in which the backing of the cover is made substantially rigid by impregnation and which impregnation is impervious to the action of steam.

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In general, this invention achieves its objects by developing the needle sheet covers with a cloth backing and with the teeth referred to projecting therefrom, and impreghating the backing with a medium which transforms the fabric into a rather hard and stiff layer and which layer does not soften under the influence of the steam employed in the ironing, or under any of the solvents used during ironing operations.

The objects and advantages referred to above will become more apparent upon'reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Figure 1 illustrates a needle sheet cover constructed according to this invention in longitudinal section;

Figure 2 shows the needle sheet cover of Figure 1 from the reverse side;

Figure 3 shows a needle sheet cover according to this invention secured to the top platen of an ironing machine; and

Figure 4 shows a modified form of the ironing cover in cross section. 7

According to the present invention the ironing cover as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 consists of one or several layers of material such as cloth layers in superposed arrangement and interconnected. The interconnecting of the layers may be accomplished by gluing them together and there is pressed into the cover from its working side, the stirrup shaped combing teeth 2 having points 3 protrudin'g outwardly from the cover.

The backing or foundation 1 of the ironing cover is impregnated with an impregnant and after the impregnant has hardened, the entire ironing cover is relatively stiff and capable of resistance against changes of forum or shape.

For impregnating solutions, solution mixtures, emulsions, especially solutions or emulsions of synthetic materials, mixtures of synthetic materials with other colloidal solutions, for example resinoussolutions or colloidal silicates, glue bindings or the like have been found suitable.

It is essential that the mediums with which the cloth material is impregnated do not attack the metals with which the cover comes into contact, for example, steel, stainless steel, tin, brass, and similar materials. Furthermore, it is important that the cured impregnant be able to Withstand high temperatures, for example, up to about 480 F., be waterproof, steam proof, and resistant to mildew. Needle sheet covers impregnated as described can be formed prior to the stiffening or curing of the impregnant and thus be brought into the precise shape desired and thereafter" will maintain that shape. The covers can, therefore, be fitted to any type of ironing machine platen and after being attached thereto will 'be firm and unyielding.

The abrading teeth will be held firmly in the stiffened or hardened fabric backing of the covers and will not press upwardly into the cover during use.

It has been found that a back gluing together of the covers is no longer necessary when the covers are eonstructed according to the present invention.

The outer periphery 4 of the ironing cover is bent backwardly and may be provided with holes or eyelets 5 into which are attached the tension springs 7, or similar retaining devices for retaining the cover on the platen 'of the ironing machine. I

On the reverse side of the cover there is provided an asbestos spacer member 8 firmly attached thereto and which serves to seal off the entire surface of the ironing pad so that steam does not escape around the edge thereof when in use.

The needle sheet cover is preferably provided with perforations in some simple manner, for example, through U milling, burning, punching, or drilling, whereby steam can pass readily through the cover and the impregnant of the backing of the cover is not subjected to the severe steam action that characterized covers of the prior art as referred to above. I

In the drawings the perforations or apertures in the ironing cover are designated by the numerals 12 and these may be provided in the channels between the rows of teeth on the ironing cover. The back'of the cover may likewise be provided with the asbestos strips 9 arranged obliquely on the surface of the ironing cover and of the same heighth as the asbestos edging 8 and these strips will serve to assist in supporting the cover on the curved platen 6.

Steam can be delivered through the platen via theape'rtures 11 therein from the steam supply conduit in a manner well-known in the art. It will be evident that the provision of the apertures 12 in the ironing cover permits the steam to pass therethrough to the material being ironed with the least possible impediment to the flow thereof.

By forming an ironing cover according to the present invention it is no longer necessary to provide sheet metal edging around the periphery of the cover, but instead, the cover can be fastened directly to the platen by means of the eyelets referred to above.

Inasmuch as the ironing cover is already stiffened and shaped to fit the platen, it can be mounted thereon very easily and will not tend to sag during operation.

With ironing covers according to the present invention various effects can be obtained that were not heretofore possible. For example, the points of the teeth projecting from the cover can be arranged to extend therefrom to different heights according to any predetermined pattern so that corresponding patterns will appear on the fabrics ironed with the covers.

This is illustrated in Figure 4 wherein the stirrup shaped teeth 14 and 15 are pressed in the cover 13 to difierent depths so that the points 16 and 17 of the teeth protrude difierent distances from the cover. The teeth 14, 15, or other groups thereof, can be arranged in this manner according to any predetermined pattern so that a corresponding pattern is produced on the ironed fabric.

The impregnating of the cloth backing or foundation 9 of the ironing cover can be efiected prior to the placing in the cover of the teeth, or can be accomplished after the teeth are placed therein, or the teeth can be placed in the cover at any time during a series of impregnating steps, all according to individual preference.

It will be understood that the ironing cover illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification is merely an example of the many ways in which this invention can be adapted to particular circumstances. Thus, for example, the ironing cover could be arranged for use in a hand ironing operation and either the cover having the teeth projecting therefrom at a uniform heighth or the cover having the teeth varied to provide for a pattern could be employed in this manner.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to diiferent usages and conditions, and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rigid needle sheet cover for use with the curved pressing surface of an upper pressing platen in pressing machines and the like, said cover comprising a rigid homogeneously resin-impregnated fabric body having an upper and a lower surface; needles stitched through a predetermined area of said fabric body so as to protrude with their ends from said lower surface and having their feet plane with said upper surface, said needles being held rigidly within said rigid fabric body against ironing pressure; said fabric body having apertures in the needle area for passing steam therethrough; sealing means provided peripherally around the needle area on the upper surface of said fabric body for sealing said surface tightly against the curved surface of said upper pressing platen so as to prevent the escape of steam by other ways than through said apertures in said fabric body; an upwardly bent peripheral margin free from needles around said fabric body to receive the edge of said upper pressing platen therebetween; holes provided in the upwardly bent peripheral margin for receiving therein known means for fastening said needle sheet cover to said upper pressing platen; and spacing means for spacing said fabric body from the curved surface of said upper pressing platen, said spacing means being arranged on the upper surface of said fabric body inside said sealing means; said fabric body being shaped so as to fit with its upper surface onto said curved surface of said upper pressing platen.

2. A rigid needle sheet cover for use with the curved pressing Surface of a pressing platen in pressing machines and the like,.said cover comprising a rigid homogeneously resin-impregnated fabric body; a resin body homogeneously extending throughout said fabric body by filling the interstices in the latter; said fabric body having a front and a rear surface; needles stitched through a predetermined area of said fabric body so as to protrude with their ends from said front surface and having their feet plane with said rear surface, said needles being held rigidly within said rigid fabric body against ironing pressure; said fabric body having apertures in the needle area for passing steam therethrough; sealing means provided peripherally around the needle area on the rear surface of said fabric body for sealing said surface tightly against the curved surface of said pressing platen so as to prevent the escape of steam by other ways than through said apertures in said fabric body; a peripheral margin around said fabric body; said margin being bent in the direction of said rear surface and being free from needles so as to receivethe edge of said pressing platen therebetween; fastening means provided at the rearwardly bent peripheral margin for fastening said needle sheet cover to said pressing platen; and spacing means for spacing said fabric body from the curved surface of said pressing platen, said spacing means being arranged on the rear surface of said fabric body inside said sealing means; said fabric body being shaped so as to fit with its rear surface onto said curved surface of said pressing platen.

3. A needle sheet cover as described in claim 2, wherein said needles are of different length and so arranged as to form a certain pattern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

